Juvenile Delinquency

Question 1

What is Juvenile Delinquency classed as?

Answer 1

Young offenders aged 10-17, difficult to define as it depends on the context ie. different countries have different ages of criminal responsibility

Question 2

What is the age of criminal responsibility in the UK?

Answer 2

10

Question 3

10-17 year olds accounted for…

Answer 3

13.6% of all arrests (Youth Justice statistics 2011/12)

most of which were male

Question 4

Roe & Ashe (2008) surveyed youths aged 10-25

Answer 4

31% had committed 1 offence
28% 2-3 offences
29% were 6 or more offences (frequent offenders)
49% ADMITTED COMMITTING SERIOUS OFFENCE

Question 5

The peak in male offending is…

The peak in female offending is…

Answer 5

14-17

12-17

Question 6

Juvenile Delinquency can be explained by Risk Factors

Answer 6

Individual, Family, Peers and School or Neighbourhood

Question 7

Loeber et al (1993) Predictable Order

Answer 7

gradual development of ASB as it worsens over time:
Less serious forms of delinquency over time precede the onset of more serious delinquent acts
Authority Conflict Pathway, Overt Pathway, Covert Pathway

Question 8

Authority Conflict Pathway

before 12

Answer 8

stubborn behaviour, defiance/disobedience and authority avoidance eg. truancy/staying out late

Question 9

Covert Pathway

Answer 9

Minor (shoplifting) to Property damage (vandalism) to more serious delinquency eg (car theft)

Question 10

Overt Pathway

Answer 10

Minor aggression to physical fighting, to violence eg. assault, rape, homicide

Question 11

Static Risk Factors are…

Answer 11

those that can’t be changed/helped e.g. mental illness, learning disabilities

Question 12

‘Correlate risk factors’ are…

Answer 12

events that occurred at the same time as delinquency eg. being thrown out of home, leads to theft

Question 13

Individual risk factors include…

Answer 13

Genetics (hereditary aggression, depression)
Prenatal development/birth complications
Executive Functioning affected (cognition, planning, problem solving, ability to reason)
Low IQ or poor ability to feel empathy
Educational failure - 1. reject authority 2. no qualifications/poor prospects, 3. low self-esteem
Behavioural factors - hyperactivity/aggression

Question 14

Gender differences in JD

Answer 14

Girls are more likely to pick better peer groups, try harder at school, avoid dangerous situations, boys are allowed more freedom to roam and GIRLS MATURE FASTER

Question 15

Family Risk Factors

Answer 15

Inadequate parenting, no role model present, parents who also offend and set bad example, inconsistent or overly harsh discipline, abuse and neglect, presssure from low income families

Question 16

Peer Risk Factors - Prime time for offending is teenage years and this is when influence of peers is greatest

Answer 16

Peer rejection (cos of aggressive or odd behaviour) = social exclusion and ASB because of need to fit in, or because ‘rejects’ group together and never learn prosocial behaviour

Question 17

Peer Rejection - Laird 2011

Answer 17

High childhood ASB = high peer rejection - high ASB in adolescence
High childhood ASB = less peer rejection = low ASB in adolescence
Low ASB in childhood + peer rejection + higher levels of ASB in adolescence
Low ASB in childhood = no peer rejection = low levels of ASB in adolescence

Question 18

JD & Social Learning Theory - “bad company corrupts”

Answer 18

(Akers, 1985)
Modelling processes - particularly from older peers or family members who set bad examples
Reinforcing antisocial attitudes
(Osgood, 1996) unstructured socialising & peers as audience - do it to impress others and increased opportunities for ASB

Question 19

Delinquent peers - Haynie & Osgood (2005)

Answer 19

lots of ‘hanging out’ & lack of things to do = ASB

but they also stress family factors are just as important

Question 20

Neighbourhood factors of JD

Answer 20

poorer, less organised neighbourhoods with weaker social ties ie. high resident turnover, fragmented communities with high levels of immigration, low social control, high unemployment, lack of prosocial models, low income and single parent households

Question 21

Desistance - Sampson and Laub (1990; 1992)

Answer 21

Social ties to adult institutions of informal social control
Stable employment, job satisfaction, job commitment
Good marriage (non-delinquent partner) and parenthood
However, juvenile delinquents often experience difficulties finding a job / a (prosocial) partner!